A Year in the Life
by alatariel-gildaen
Summary: It hadn't been her plan to fall for him but his unending goodness won out. As soon as they met it became inevitable. This is a series of snapshots following Peeta & Katniss' first year together as their relationship develops into something real. Modern AU sequel to Sabotaged Heart. Banner by Ro Nordmann.
1. Summer's Best of Weather

**A/N – Hey again everyone! So after several requests for more from this world, here it is. This first chapter is set pretty much directly after the last story ended. I think this story will stand up on its own, but if you'd like to see how they got to this point then check out my fic **_**Sabotaged Heart.**_** Each chapter will be a snapshot into a moment of their lives over their first year together. And if you missed them, I also posted a couple of submissions for Prompts in Panem's Seven Deadly Sins Challenges from this universe. **_**The First Hurdle**_** was for Wrath, and **_**Strange Bedfellows **_**was for Gluttony. **

**Huge huge HUGE thanks go to Court81981 for being an awesome Beta and inspiration. You're an amazing human, Court!  
**

**So, anyway, as always, I don't own the Hunger Games, not making money etc etc. Hope you enjoy :)**

**I'm on tumblr by the way alatarielgildaen dot tumblr dot com so feel free to drop by and say hello!**

**Oh, and I'm hoping to update this every Friday, just so you know. A lot of this is already written so hopefully I'll be able to stick to it! Reviews are, of course, always appreciated.  
**

* * *

_**August**_

"So, what did you think?"

Katniss seemed to be choosing her words carefully. "Well, it could have been worse."

He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "Well, of course it could have been worse. When something is perfection, it could _only_ be worse."

"I think 'perfection' is something of an exaggeration."

_Back to the Future _had just ended, the credits were rolling and Peeta had turned to the woman curled up next to him, a boyish grin on his face, expecting to see a similar expression on hers. Instead he saw her brow knitted slightly in confusion, evaporating that hope in an instant.

"You didn't like it."

"It's not that. I mean it was fun, I just… I don't really get it."

"What's not to get?" he asked, slightly exasperated.

"Well," she began slowly, clearly not wanting to offend him when their delicate connection had only just been rebuilt, "logically it just doesn't make any sense."

Laughing in earnest he said, "Of course it doesn't make _logical _sense. It's about time travel!"

"Yes," she agreed, "but even within those parameters, it doesn't make logical sense."

"Why not?"

"Well, for a start, he goes back in time and prevents his mother and father meeting. The second he stopped his mother and father meeting he should have ceased to exist, which would mean that he wouldn't get the chance to go back in time and stop them meeting. In trying to stop his dad getting hit by the car he would have immediately created a paradox that could potentially have destroyed the universe."

"Would have made a pretty shit film though. Generally speaking when I'm watching a film, I like there to at least be a tiny part of the universe in it. Not, you know, _nothing._"

"I know, but even ignoring that gaping scientific flaw there are so many bits that just couldn't have happened. Like, he's carrying around this photo of his family. But they start to fade so they no longer exist in the photo. But the photo still exists. So who took it, why did they take a photo of that door with no one stood in front of it, and how has it come to be in Marty's possession?"

"I don't understand wha-"

"And ok, he manages to change the past. Which means he would have been raised by the 'cool' versions of his parents, right? His brother and sister are completely different people now, so why does that photo still show them as the doofuses they were in the parallel world? And how come Marty has turned out the same? I know there's a certain amount of 'nature versus nurture' in the way we turn out, but if his brother and sister are such completely different people, why isn't he? And if it's because he came from the other parallel 1985, why isn't there a version of him who _was_ raised in that world? And don't you think it's an absolutely amazing coincidence that in the alternate timeline, even with their different lives happening, with his dad becoming an author instead of working in that office with Biff still bullying him, Marty's parents must have decided to have unprotected sex at the _exact _same moment in time so that those precise same sperm cells could meet with the precise same eggs and create those children. And really? One punch in the face turned Biff from being that crazed potential rapist bully in to a fawning puppy dog? It literally makes _no _sense."

"It's just supposed to be a bit of fun, Katniss," he said, trying not to dwell on the now obvious flaws that he had never really thought of before, and thinking that if she found that much wrong with the first film, the second one would be likely to give her an embolism.

"I know, and it was fun. It just doesn't make any _logical _sense. If you have to include something like time travel, you should at least try to make it make sense, like in _Harry Potter."_

"Oh come off it!" he cried. "If you're talking about the third film it makes as much sense as _Back to the Future!"_

She shook her head vehemently. "No," she replied, "It's totally different. It shows you that you simply can't change the past. The past has already happened and there is nothing you can do to alter it."

"But they _do_ alter it," he protested. "They stopped that bird thing being killed, that was the whole point of them going back in time."

"Yes, but they had _always _saved him. Their future selves were always going to be at that point in time to stop him being killed. They didn't actually _change_ anything."

"Yes they did," he said adamantly. "That executioner killed him."

"Did it ever actually show him dying?" Katniss asked.

Peeta racked his memory before answering. "No, but it was a kids' film, they're not going to show something as violent as a beheading. But they showed the kids' reactions. He was killed, definitely."

"Peeta," Katniss said patiently, "Have you ever read the books?"

"No, I don't have time to read."

"Rubbish! You've got filled bookshelves at home, I've seen them!"

"Graphic novels and comics, Katniss. It's quicker to read pictures than words."

"Well, you should make time. And make _Harry Potter_ your number one priority. It was much better explained in the books than in the films. No, Buckbeak was never killed because Harry and Hermione were always there to save him. When Harry thinks he sees his father save him and Sirius across the lake, it was his future self. During that time there were _always _two Harrys and two Hermiones hanging around."

He closed his eyes and tried to process that information. "Nope," he said after a little while. "No, too hungover to understand that right now. I think we should just have to agree to disagree on this one."

"Wait, you made me watch this, you can't get out of reading _Potter._ It's a fair exchange."

"One film for seven books isn't a fair exchange"

"Believe me, Peeta, you'll thank me."

His phone beeped with an incoming text message, saving him from having to answer. A one-word message from Finnick that read, '_Well?'_ The time on his phone read 21:41, and he hadn't as yet told either Finn or Annie what had happened. "I need to make a call," he said, disentangling himself from her embrace.

"It's getting late. Do you want me to order dinner?"

"That would be amazing."

"What do you fancy?"

"Other than you?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "To eat?"

"Can I get away with saying 'you' again?"

"Peeta…."

He thought about it a moment. There was no way his stomach would cope with anything too elaborate at the moment. "Pizza?"

"Pizza?" She sounded sceptical.

"Yeah. No cheese, obviously, and can you make sure there's no egg or milk in the base?"

She let out a long exhalation of breath. "It seems like a tall order, but I'll see what I can find."

"Thank you," he replied, indicating that he was going out into the hallway to make the call.

It only took one and a half rings before Finnick answered. Before his best mate was able to lay in to him for leaving it so late to call, Peeta spoke up.

"I know it's late, I'm a jerk, and I'm sorry."

"Where the hell are you? What's going on? Is everything ok?"

"I'm fine. I'm… I'm staying here tonight."

A moment of silence before his friend spoke again. "You know we're working tomorrow, right?"

"I know. But it's fine. I'll be back early, you won't have to do a thing, I promise."

"Is this a good idea, Peet?"

"I think so. We're gonna start again."

He heard Finnick's slow exhalation down the phone. "I'm glad it went well, Peet. Don't get hurt."

"I won't"

"Good. Don't."

"I won't. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

"Sure thing, bud. Have fun."

Katniss voice came through from the living room. "Peeta? Come here a sec."

"Gotta go, mate. See you in the morning."

"Don't be late, Peeta, or I'll kick your scrawny little arse in. See you."

After tucking his phone in to his jeans pocket he returned to Katniss, who was sat cross legged on her couch, the home phone tucked under one ear. "I found these guys," she said, one hand over the phone's mouthpiece, the other extending towards Peeta, offering him the menu. "It's sourdough pizza, and they've assured me the bases are ok. What do you want?"

Peeta took the menu from her, scanning it quickly. There were three vegetarian pizzas and the one that caught his eye was the Spicy Deluxe; garlic, onion, jalapenos, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, aubergine and spinach. His mouth began to salivate at the thought of the first proper food he'd had all day.

Taking a seat next to her, he pointed his choice out to Katniss who nodded. "Same here." He rested his hand on her thigh as she took her hand away from the mouthpiece. "Two Vegetarian Spicy Deluxes, one with no cheese." She listened for a moment then said, "No, one with _no_ cheese…. Why not?" She looked at the menu again, her brows knitting. "Ok, I see it… Ok, but doing it that way, it'll cost an extra fiver…..But it's exactly the same in every other way…..You can't charge more for less, it's criminal….."

"What's wrong?" Peeta asked her. Now that the prospect of food had appeared on the horizon he was realising just how hungry he was and didn't need any added delays to it.

"Just a second," she said to the person on the other end of the phone, shaking her head as she did and replacing her hand over the mouthpiece, a look of sheer disbelief on her face. "They're saying that having it without cheese is going off menu, so you have to have it as a customised one. They do a cheeseless margarita pizza, so they're saying you have to order that, and order the individual toppings as extras. And they cost a quid each, so instead of it being an eight pound pizza, it's going to cost thirteen."

"Well that doesn't make sense."

"That's what I keep saying!"

"Ugh, Katniss, I'm too hungover to deal with that kind of nonsense, if it's too much effort I'll just have the plain one."

"But that's not what you _want_ is it?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then don't just settle for crap, don't let them walk over you, leave it with me."

He felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards ever so slightly. "Is this some kind of valuable life lesson you're trying to give me?"

With a returned smile she replied, "Take it that way if you like. I just hate bureaucracy, and that's all this is. Bloody jobsworth." Returning her attention to the person on the other end of the phone, she said, "Hi, yes, you're not going to charge us extra. You're just going to give us the pizza we want, but without cheese….. ..I don't care if there isn't a button for that option on your till, you make the pizzas fresh, right? So, when you make one of them just don't put it on, it's really very simple….That really isn't any of my concern…. Just tell him….Ok, look, do you have a pen and paper? You do? Ok, good, put it through on your till as a regular Vegetarian Spicy Deluxe, then write an actual physical note using that pen and paper to the chef to leave off the cheese….. My friend here is highly allergic to dairy, so if our specifications aren't followed to the letter we'll know and you'll be hearing from us further…... Thank you…. Forty five minutes? Perfect, thank you."

After placing the phone back on the hook she turned to Peeta. "Don't let people walk all over you, ok? I know I'm guilty of it, I daresay given recent events I'm more guilty of it than most, but that ends now."

A small chuckle escaped his throat. It did seem a little strange to be taking advice on self-confidence from the woman who had almost knocked his long recovery back to square one. Although he couldn't help but be plagued by at least one worry. "You know they'll probably have spat in it after you spoke to them that way."

"What we don't know can't harm us, Peeta."

"I guess. Unless they're carrying a highly infectious disease."

"Well, if we're still alive in the morning, then I guess we're safe."

"Look, if we're gonna die, I need to get home first. Otherwise Finnick will kill me."

At his words the two of them burst in to laughter, and with their arms around each other fell back on to the couch. Peeta felt such comfort in her warm weight pressed against him; the turmoil of the previous week and a half already beginning to feel like something that had happened in a half forgotten nightmare. The feeling could be recalled but not the details. Closing his eyes and pulling her closer in to him he began to idly trail his fingers up and down her back, feeling his heart rate quicken as he did. A small, contented sigh escaped her lips, and Peeta felt the heat of her breath warming his chest through the fabric of his t-shirt.

His lips brushed over the top of her head and in response she tightened her grip on the front of his clothes. She lifted her head off his chest and their gaze met for a moment before she gently pressed her lips into his. It didn't take long for the softness of their kisses to grow into something more desperate, Katniss winding her hands in to Peeta's hair, drawing his bottom lip into her mouth and gently scraping her teeth along the sensitive flesh. His body began to react to her and as he gently rolled his hips up to meet her she moaned her approval in to him. One of her hands slid down his torso, drifting ever lower, coming to rest over the very apparent bulge in his jeans.

"Don't mind me." Johanna's voice cut through them, jolting them back to reality as she sat down heavily in the armchair. They held each other's dilated gaze, breathless, and Peeta couldn't help but feel the sinking disappointment at their interruption. "My turn for control of the TV. _The Only Way is Essex _is about to start."

"Jo, you do watch some real shit, you know that?"

"Be grateful _Big Brother _isn't on at the moment."

"I am, believe me. Every single day."

Katniss laid her head back down on Peeta's chest and he took the opportunity to shift his hips slightly to make his erection less visible to Jo. The shift in his position pressed his arousal further into Katniss' side and in response she began to draw lazy circles over his collarbone with her fingertips. Their hearts hammered in their chests and Peeta was uncertain where his drumming pulse ended and hers began. He was so comfortable. So warm, and comfortable. And despite the nap they had taken that afternoon, tired too. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep his eyes open and as the Essex girls on the television droned on, his mind began to slow down as much as his body.

A shift in Katniss' warm weight against brought him back to consciousness as she sat up straight. He moaned a little at the lack of contact and tried to pull her back in to him, although her words woke his mind and body immediately. "Pizza's here. You'll have to let go of me if you want it."

He didn't need asking twice. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he sat up and swinging his legs around to the front, he at once fell back against the cushions as a wave of dizziness threatened to overcome him. He brought his eyes into focus on the television and immediately wished he hadn't. While_ The Only Way is Essex_ had finished, Jo was now watching _I'm a Celebrity _and a pair of hapless Z-listers were sitting down to eat a meal of still living witchitty grubs and raw kangaroo testicles. "Shit, Jo, change the channel, we're about to eat," he gasped, averting his eyes, clutching his stomach and desperately fighting the nausea that rapidly rose up inside him.

"Spoilsport," she chuckled, just as Katniss re-entered the room.

"Turn this shit, off Jo. How you can watch this and actually have the audacity to call me 'brainless' I'll never understand."

With an exasperated sigh Jo switched channels, allowing them to watch the much less appetite-ruining _QI _while they ate.

"So… tomorrow…." Peeta said, as soon as he swallowed his last mouthful of pizza.

"What about tomorrow?"

"Will you be sticking around once you've dropped me off?"

"Well," she said, her voice thoughtful and delicate, "It is a long way to go. I don't know if I'd want to get straight back in the car after such a long drive."

"I wouldn't want to send you straight on your way, anyway."

"That's good to hear," she replied, a faint pink tinge creeping across her cheeks. "I'm wondering if it's better to come a little prepared. Maybe bring a change of clothes? I don't want to get caught out again, like last time…."

She was insinuating that she may be in for a long stay again. And Peeta found that he was entirely ok with that. "You know, I don't mind you wearing my clothes," he said with a grin.

"If you two are going to be discussing your kinky sex life, either take it elsewhere or get me involved," Jo piped up. "I know which I'd prefer," she finished with a lewd wink.

"I'm not entirely sure I'm too happy sharing Katniss with anyone, to be honest," he countered. "Definitely not now I've got her back." His hand found hers, their fingers intertwining together before he leant in towards her for a kiss.

"Ugh, ok, I'm done. Sex talk I can handle. This mushy shit, no way. You two want to carry on like that, you do it in your own time, not on my watch."

Ignoring Jo, Katniss squeezed Peeta's hand slightly. "What time do you need to get back tomorrow?"

He thought about it a moment. Finn would need to leave his no later than 8:30 if he was to get to his job as a swimming instructor at a local pool for a 9 a.m. start. But if he left it that late to come home his best mate would probably be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. No, he'd need to return a lot earlier than that if he wanted to live to see another day.

"Um, probably about 7, to be honest."

She let out a long sigh just as Jo snorted, "Yeah, good luck with that."

"Will that be ok?" Peeta asked, worry creeping in to the edges of his voice.

The pause she gave before answering made his stomach drop even further. "It'll be tough, but yeah. Doable. Just. We'll have to leave here about quarter past 5, though."

"That's ok."

"For you, maybe. I'll need help in the morning. And we should probably go to bed sooner rather than later."

"Jesus, you two, seriously, if you want to get in each other's knickers then just fuck off and do it, don't make out like you need an excuse," said Jo, rolling her eyes.

Without missing a single beat and without breaking Katniss' eye contact, Peeta said, "If we don't need an excuse, take me straight to bed."

"It would make sense, if we have to be up early."

"Ugh, god, get the fuck out of here! Go!"

Katniss chuckled as she stood up, holding her hand out towards him. With a smile he took hold of her as she helped him to his feet and led him away from Jo's knowing smirks. "It was good seeing you again, Jo," he said, pausing in the doorway. "We'll probably be gone before you get up tomorrow, so-"

"Get out of my sight and get her into bed, Loverboy."

He grinned as he allowed himself to be led away once again. Once sequestered away in her room, Katniss turned to him and placed a hand on his chest. His heart began to race at her touch. Wordlessly she slid her hands up over his body and around his neck, claiming his lips with her own. He melted in to her and deepened the kiss, probing her mouth with his tongue while his hands drifted lower over her body, coming to rest over her backside.

She pulled away from him with a little gasp as she caught her breath, taking his hands in her own and walking backwards until she reached the bed. She spun him around and pushed him down on to the bed before beginning to undress. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before pulling his t-shirt up and over his head. The sight of her in her underwear, dropping to her knees in front of him, sent a spasm of pleasure straight to his cock, leaving him entirely breathless.

His eyes fluttered closed as she began to undo the button fly on his jeans and his breath hitched in his throat as she encouraged him to lift his hips before pulling his jeans down. "Can this come off again?" she asked, indicating his leg.

It still felt strange to him, allowing her to see him without his prosthetic. Just a couple of months prior, the idea of anyone seeing him that way was an absurd fantasy, something he couldn't foresee that he would ever allow. And now here he was, acquiescing to her request. After removing the leg and rolling off the liner he lay back against her pillows and put his arms out for her to join him. She rested her head against his chest as he buried his face in her hair.

"I don't ever want to have to move," he said, his voice slightly muffled by the top of her head.

Outside the rain picked up again, beating its relentless tattoo against her bedroom window and Peeta was beyond thankful to be indoors, in the warm and dry, with the woman of his dreams curled up in his arms. He looked at Katniss' bedside alarm clock. It was just before eleven o'clock. They would have to leave in a little over six hours if they were to get back to his on time, and knowing how bad Katniss was at early mornings that would mean settling down for the night now.

With a deep sigh he said, "Do you want to get under the covers?"

"Doesn't sound like you want to."

"Katniss, I want to stay up all night banging you senseless, but I need you to be able to drive tomorrow."

"You don't think I can do both?"

He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound which resonated through his chest and into Katniss, into her resting head, causing her to chuckle in response. "No, Katniss, I don't think you can do both. I've seen you in the morning, don't forget."

She playfully pushed him away in mock offense. "Stop it. It's not too late for me to throw you out."

"You wouldn't."

"Do you really want to push your luck?"

He held her even tighter, his arms wrapped around her and pinning her to his body. "I don't want to do anything to risk losing you again."

He felt her breath, warm against his chest, as she sighed. "Peeta, you won't lose me. But you're probably right. I need sleep if I'm going to be human in the morning."

"Don't worry, I'll wake you up when I need to."

"You'll make me coffee?"

"Better than that," he said, his hands drifting lower, squeezing her backside gently. "I'll wake you up in a way that'll give you a grin all day."

"Sounds great," she beamed. "I look forward to it." She rolled over and set her alarm clock. "I'm setting it for four, and we'll need to be up by half past. Is half an hour enough for this wake-up call?"

"Should be ok."

She reached up and kissed him deeply while he held her close, his heart pounding harder and faster than ever. As they climbed under the covers, and Peeta threw his arm over her, spooning her back, he couldn't believe his own luck. He'd gone to bed the night before, desperately drunk, depressed and alone, unsure if he would ever see Katniss' smile again, worried that he was doomed to a life of solitude, and now here he was, cuddling the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. His eyes fluttered closed, a slight smile on his lips as he allowed his body to drift off to the first peaceful sleep he'd had since discovering the initial truth behind Katniss' motivations for being with him.

Almost as soon as his eyes closed the alarm awoke him with a jolt. He could hear Katniss quietly protesting with a few sleepy moans as he reached over her body to turn the alarm off. Despite how dark it was outside, he was instantly awake. These early morning starts were ingrained in him since childhood.

"Katniss?" he said softly, trying to gently rouse her. Tendrils of hair were cascading over her face and neck, and he tenderly swept them to one side so his lips could connect with the soft skin hidden underneath. As he kissed a line down the side of her neck, she rolled on to her back, and Peeta placed his hands either side of her, supporting his weight as he watched the sleeping goddess beneath him. "Katniss?" he tried once more, placing his lips on hers. She stirred slightly underneath him, her eyes opening momentarily before fluttering closed once again. "Katniss?" he tried again, a little louder this time, before pressing his lips to her pulse point, sucking the skin, laving it with his tongue and dipping his head lower, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake.

He was rewarded for his efforts with a sleepy, contented mewling sound as Katniss brought her hand up to rest against the back of Peeta's head. "Katniss? I need you to wake up, beautiful." He dropped his lips to her collarbone and began to leave a path of kisses ever lower. When he reached her abdomen he heard her whisper, "Peeta," as her fingertips gently massaged into his scalp.

Taking encouragement from her pleasured sighs he dared to venture even lower, hooking his fingers over the waistband of her underwear and pulling them down. It was a bit awkward as Katniss was still half asleep and not helping him at all, but with a bit of effort he managed to wiggle them down past her hips and pulled them free of her legs. The languid smile that spread over her face as he pushed her legs apart and settled in between her knees made his stomach do backflips. "Katniss? This is your early morning wake-up call." Her dipped his head to the apex between her thighs and deftly ran his tongue over her folds.

Her sharp inhalation of breath coupled with her increased grip on his hair told him that his method of rousing her was working. "Oh, Peeta," she gasped as his tongue expertly circled over her clit. His cock was already hard, and he desperately wanted to bury himself inside her, to lose himself as he sought comfort within her, but the sight of her beneath him, the sounds she made as she came, the taste of her, and the sheer eroticism of pleasuring her was just as exciting to him.

He became aware that Katniss' breathing had quickened, that her hips were beginning to roll in time with his ministrations. Bringing his hand into play, he pushed two fingers inside her and curled them forward as he sucked on her clit. Immediately she grasped hold of her pillow and brought it over her face to muffle her cries. It was almost enough to send him spiralling over the edge himself. As her thighs clamped down around either side of his face and her smothered cries rang out, he continued to pump her with his fingers while lapping at her slick folds until he felt her hand on his forehead pushing him away. He slowly withdrew his fingers before sucking at the moisture that clung to them, then crawled up the bed to lie back down beside her, a wide grin on his face. "Morning," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmmm. Far happier than I have any right to be feeling at such a godforsaken hour."

He smiled at the sight of her, basking in the afterglow of her orgasm as he cupped the side of her face and brought her lips to his. "You ready to get up?"

"What about you?" she replied, flicking on her bedside lamp before turning back to him. "I can't let you give me a wake up like that and not return the favour."

He brushed a few loose strands away from her face and looked over at her bedside clock. "Do we have time?" he asked.

She glanced over her shoulder at the time and said, "Depends. How quick can you be?"

"Not sure of the best way to answer that," he snorted.

"Then don't answer," she said as she leant in towards him, her lips parted. As their lips met, he grasped hold of her and rolled on to his back, bringing her with him. His breath caught in his throat as he felt her hand reach down between the two of them and slide under the waistband of his boxers. Her fingers curled around his erection, stroking up and over his length, her thumb smoothing the moisture it found over the head before she withdrew her hand, resting it on his chest as she kissed his forehead.

"Katniss," he moaned softly in to her neck, running his fingers along her spine. "Don't tease me."

Her smile widened as she encouraged him to lift his hips and helped him out of his boxers. "You know," she said, her eyes darkening with lust as she took in the sight of him, "I've wanted to make you come with my mouth again since the first night we slept together. Sit up for me."

Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as he did as she asked. He watched Katniss lower her mouth towards him, then wound his hands into her hair as she wrapped her lips around his cock. "Oh, fuck, Katniss…" he hissed as her tongue ran around the ridge of his head, the searing heat of her kisses draining all rational thought from him. Without relinquishing his grip on her, he tried to sit up straighter so he could watch as she took him deeper and deeper, her hollowed cheeks sucking him harder than he ever thought possible.

If she wanted him to come quickly she was going the right way about it; there was no way he was going to last long with such a sensual assault on him. Part of him wanted to push her away, to make her stop so that he might prolong his pleasure; he was torn between the want of it lasting longer and the need to climax. Need won out over want and he held her steady as her fingers curled around the base of his cock, and she began to slowly stroke what she couldn't take in her mouth. "Oh, Katniss…" he choked out, shuddering as the pressure inside him suddenly reached its peak, radiating outwards in hot waves. He hadn't had time to warn Katniss before his orgasm was torn from his body and she pulled away suddenly, gagging slightly as his semen hit the back of her throat. "Oh, fuck, I'm so sorry," he gasped, breathless and embarrassed.

"It's ok," she spluttered, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. "Seriously," she said, taking in the look of worry on his face. "I'll take it as a compliment."

"It was pretty fucking spectacular," he said, collapsing back against the pillow.

"Don't get too comfortable," she warned him. "All this early morning sex was for a reason, remember?"

"I know," he sighed. "I just wish we didn't have to rush off anywhere. And I really am sorry. Please don't take it as a sign of things to come."

"I won't," she responded, a twinkle in her eye. "And I guess it helped with the wake-up too. There's no way I'll fall asleep again now."

With a swift kiss to his lips she clambered out of bed and threw on some clothes, Peeta watching her, still in disbelief at his change in fortune. He wasn't sure if he would ever get used to feeling as happy as he did with her, but, he reasoned, that was something he would have to learn to live with.


	2. Autumn's Best of Cheer

**A/N - Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favourited/followed. It means so much to get those little ffn notifications, so thanks all.  
**

**But biggest thanks of all goes to Court81981 for being the greatest Beta in the world, and for inspiration and encouragement (and putting up with my drunken ramblings.) Thank you so much, Court!**

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think :)**

* * *

_**September**_

Getting Peeta out of the house was a rare occurrence. After his mishap with allowing a volunteer into his home to help run the sanctuary, he had become even more wary of trying again, which meant their days out together could only be timed in accordance with when Finnick was free and willing to lend a hand.

Just such an opportunity came up in the last week of September. After a wet and washed-out August, England had been promised an Indian summer and Katniss was overjoyed to see the sunshine return. Peeta had long wanted to take Katniss for a day out in the countryside and so when they woke on the morning of their planned excursion to see the sun shining down on them he practically skipped around his kitchen as he prepared them a picnic for the day. His infectious enthusiasm quickly spread to her despite the early start, and she pottered around the kitchen, getting in the way as she tried to 'help' by slicing bread to make sandwiches. Mostly, however, she ended up getting under his feet until he sat her down at the kitchen table with a mug of hazelnut coffee to keep her occupied.

As Peeta finished packing more food than the two of them would comfortably manage into a wicker basket, Finnick could be heard heading downstairs towards the kitchen, whistling a jaunty tune. "Morning," he said, bursting in to the kitchen. "So, where are you heading?" he asked as he opened the basket to examine the contents, picking a few grapes from a bunch resting on top.

"I thought we'd go up to Southwold. Not been up that way for ages, so…"

"Nice," he responded, popping the purloined grapes into his mouth. "You know," he said, swallowing the fruit, "if you actually tried again, got someone in to help you out instead of relying on me each time, you'd be able to do things like this more often."

"And we both know what happened last time," Peeta answered, dismissing the suggestion immediately.

"Then you'll remember that last time I told you to try again that I also told you not to be a dickhead and actually check them out before you leave them alone in your home."

"Finn, I'd rather just do it all myself. It's not worth the hassle and worry."

"For you, maybe. And you don't do it all yourself, which is why we're having this conversation. I'd quite like my days off to be days off sometimes. You know I can't keep this up forever."

"I'll help," Katniss piped up, causing the two men to look over at her. "I mean, I'll help you find someone. I've got a pretty good judge of character. Better than you, at least, no offence. But either way Finn's right, Peeta. We can't keep relying on him, it isn't fair."

"You'll help me find someone?" he repeated.

"Absolutely."

She could see him contemplating the idea as he made Finnick a tea. "Ok," he said at last as he stirred the sugar in to the brew. "Fine. I'll put another ad out. And I'll make sure you're here when I meet them. Ok?"

"Ok," she replied. "But don't worry about it for now, at least today we've got Finn as our personal slave. I get the impression that deep down he actually likes being bossed around."

"Maybe by you, Katniss," said Finnick as he dipped his finger in to a little spilt sugar on the kitchen work surface. He leant over towards her and suggestively sucked the sugar off the end of his finger. "You can boss me around any time and any way you want."

"Finnick!" she gasped, scandalised. "What would Annie say if she heard you talking like that?"

"She'd roll her eyes and tell him to behave," interjected Peeta. "I'm gonna tell him to behave or he'll get a swift kick to the nads."

"And what's your missus going to get? She started it."

He answered, not with words, by crossing over to where she was sat and lowering his lips to hers. In response she reached up and buried her fingers in his hair, massaging the back of his scalp as she opened her mouth to him. Katniss was only half aware of Finnick's words drifting through to them. "I think I prefer her treatment."

Both she and Peeta did a good job of ignoring his comment; as Peeta reached out to gently cup, the side of her face she continued to hold him steady, greedily devouring each one of his kisses.

When he finally pulled away from her, he turned to Finnick and said, "What were you saying?"

"Just wondering where my good morning kisses are."

"Annie couldn't make it today, then?" Katniss asked.

"Nah, she's working. I get to experience a day in the life of the sad and lonely existence of Peeta Mellark in all its glory."

"Fuck you," Peeta retorted.

Katniss was pretty sure that Finnick was the only person who could get away with saying something like that. It was a sore point with him, she'd found, that he spent so many of his days alone. It pained her to think of him pottering around the cottage without seeing anyone, the sole human contact and highlight of his day being speaking with her over Skype.

"Anyway, you nearly ready to go?" asked Finnick.

"I think so," replied Peeta. "Belle's coming with us, by the way. If that's ok with you?" he said, turning to Katniss.

"Sure," Katniss replied, although if she was entirely honest she had hoped to have Peeta all to herself, and not have to worry about looking after any animals for a day.

"Well, if that's the case, shall we?" he asked, holding his hand out towards her. She took it and allowed him to help her to her feet.

"When can I expect you back?" Finnick asked, helping himself to extra sugar in his tea.

"Dunno. Early evening? I'll keep you updated."

"What I'm trying to say, Peet, is are you cooking me dinner tonight or am I going to have to fend for myself?"

He shook his head a little in disbelief. "How I let you get away with talking to me this way I'll never know."

"Because you love me and want me. So, are you cooking me dinner?"

"Fine."

"Atta boy," Finnick said with a grin, ruffling Peeta's hair.

Shrugging away the attention, Peeta said, "See you later, ok? Call me if you need anything."

"Get the hell out of here, and quit worrying. Have a good day, the pair of you," he grinned.

Peeta picked up the wicker basket containing their picnic and Katniss followed him towards the front door. Before heading outside Peeta whistled loudly and Belle came bounding towards them. "You wanna go for a drive, girl?" he said with enthusiasm, scratching her behind the ears and increasing his dog's excitement tenfold.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Katniss asked as he opened the hatchback on his Peugeot, allowing Belle to jump inside. Once she was lying down he leant over the back seat and placed the wicker picnic basket inside, then closed the hatchback door.

"I thought we could head up to the coast. It's been far too long since I've seen the sea."

"Oh?" she asked, trying to remember the last time she'd been to the coast herself.

"Yeah, I grew up in Battle, and obviously spent a lot of time in Hastings. Whenever I see the sea it reminds me of home." Katniss took in the wistful look on his face and entwined his fingers with her own.

"Do you ever go back there?"

"No," he replied, his eyes firmly set on the ground. "I've got no reason to. There's nothing there for me now."

She felt a twinge of pity for him. He had mentioned his estranged mother and brothers in passing but always seemed to change the subject very quickly. His father, it seemed, he could talk about for hours, regaling her with amusing anecdotes until his eyes would darken at some painful untold memory and she would have to change the subject herself to bring him back. It was apparent to her that he was remembering whatever he had lost from his past life. She felt a momentary pang of guilt as she thought of her own family home. It was so rare that she got to see her mother. But then, on those rare occasions that she did venture back to Gloucestershire her mother was so barely aware of her presence anyway that she almost couldn't see the point. After her husband's death, Maria Everdeen had withdrawn so far in to herself that she had become unrecognisable even to her own daughters. Katniss' anger at her for effectively abandoning her two daughters dissipated over time but not before Maria was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Back when she still had her full cognitive faculties, she would have loved Peeta, but now Katniss wondered if the two of them would ever meet. Prim made the occasional visit over to her nursing home in Gloucestershire whenever she got the chance, but Katniss hated visiting her. The smell of death hung in the air, the reminder of her own mortality, and she despised it.

Shaking away the negative thoughts, she raised Peeta's fingers to her mouth and kissed the tips. He returned the favour, pressing her fingers to his lips and holding them there before flashing her a winning smile. "Shall we?" he asked, opening the passenger side door for her. The chivalrous display was typical of him, and while it would normally annoy her feminist side to be treated in such a way, she found it impossible to supress her grin as she got into his car. He waited patiently by the door until she was seated and comfortable before closing it for her.

After settling himself in the driver's seat and starting up the engine Katniss asked, "So how long 'til we get there?"

"Maybe an hour and a half. An hour, if the roads are clear."

"An hour? I didn't think we were that far from the coast!"

"We're not, if you want to go to a beach that's full of arcade machines and covered in turds and used condoms. If that takes your fancy I can get us there in about fifteen minutes. If you want to go to a Blue Flag award-winning beach it'll take a bit longer. But it's your choice."

"Hmmm, tough decision," she said. "Maybe we'll save the turds for another day."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," she said with a grin.

"Ok. Turdless paradise it is, then."

He turned on the car stereo before pulling out of his driveway, trying to sing along with the Fratellis track currently playing. Katniss supressed a wince at his absolute lack of musical ability; instead she was touched that he felt comfortable enough around her to sing even though he knew that he had no discernible talent.

The roads were all pretty clear, and Peeta got them to their destination in a little over an hour. Driving in to Southwold was like stepping back in time. As they drove through the town, Katniss didn't spot a single chain shop. Every shop was independent, with quaint little cafes interspersed between, and hanging baskets filled with colourful pansies, petunias and geraniums were visible on every single wall.

Peeta parked the car near a looming white lighthouse and Katniss felt a little rush of excitement at seeing the sea. A few fluffy white clouds were rolling in from the grey North Sea and despite how cold and uninviting the water looked, Katniss could still spot several swimmers and surfers braving the waters. She watched as one wetsuit-clad surfer took a tumble into the sea while Peeta opened the hatchback, attaching a lead to Belle's collar. He seemed to be hesitating over the picnic. "What's up?" she asked him.

"Do you want to eat now or later? I don't want to have to haul this around all day…"

"Leave it there. We'll come back for it later."

Their hands interlinked, they strolled towards the beach, Belle trotting along by Peeta's side. The beach's promenade was like something out of a fairy tale; as far as the eye could see, brightly coloured little beach huts lined the walk. "This is the solution," Katniss said, eyeing the beach huts. "We get one of these. We could leave the picnic there instead of having to go back to the car."

"Perfect," replied Peeta. "If you've got a spare seventy grand to spend."

"Seventy grand?" she cried, utterly incredulous.

"Yup. They're mostly owned by London highflyers or rich American tourists. And as a London-based journalist, I think that puts you firmly in the first category. So go on, this could be our first property we own together. I reckon I can just about scrape a spare five hundred to put towards it if you don't mind contributing the rest. We just need to pick one."

"I think I'm getting the raw end of this deal, Peeta."

"Not at all. As majority shareholder you'd get to pick the colour. And that's a big responsibility."

"Oh, well in that case, fine. I'm sold. You can help me pick one, but I get the final say, ok?"

"Sounds fair. What about this one?" he asked pointing to the nearest, which had been painted a pastel yellow colour.

"Oh, god, no. Sky blue neighbours? I don't think so."

"Racist."

"Well, on your head be it when the neighbourhood goes downhill."

"What if I intend on bringing it down myself?"

She couldn't keep up the pretence of it being a serious conversation for long and was soon falling in to him with a fit of giggles. His strong arm snaked its way around her waist, holding her close to him and she soaked up his steady warmth as a cool breeze came off the sea, ruffling their hair in the wind. Katniss looked over at the lapping waves, overcome with the desire to be closer to them. "Can we head down on to the beach?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied, leading the way. "Belle's probably itching to go for a proper run too." As he let Belle off the lead, she watched his profile. He took so much joy in watching his dog run up and down the beach, splashing into the sea and back again and as Katniss saw the love in his eyes she felt a huge rush of affection for him. They slowly ambled along the half-sandy, half-pebbled beach in silence, holding one another's hand when Peeta suddenly broke away from her. He bent down and picked up a small orange pebble and examined it closely before dropping it again and making a small huff of disappointment.

"You ok?"

"Yup," he said, not elaborating further on his odd behaviour.

"Are you going to tell me what that was all about?"

"Nope. Not yet, anyway. Maybe later." He turned to face her and his eyes roamed over every inch of her face. Katniss could feel herself growing red under his intense gaze. "You look so beautiful right now," he told her.

"Stop it, Peeta," she said, flushing even further.

"Why? I'm not allowed to tell my girlfriend she's beautiful?"

His openness and honesty about his feelings towards her still had the power to make her feel uncomfortable. 'Beautiful' was never a word she would have used to describe herself, and she had never been good at accepting compliments, always feeling suspicious of one who paid them to her. Hearing that word come from Peeta, knowing there was no ulterior motive to it, still felt strange and foreign to her. "I'm not," she said simply.

"You _are,_" he said, pulling her into his embrace. "And you better get used to hearing it." The fresh sea breeze whipped around them as Peeta buried his face in her hair. She could feel him planting soft kisses on the top of her head and melted further into him. After a moment his kisses became firmer and faster and he groaned slightly into her. "Getting hungry," he said between kisses. "I might have to eat you."

"Doesn't that go against the fundamental tenets of veganism?" she asked with a chuckle.

"Don't care," he responded, tilting her chin back slightly and capturing her lips in a desperate kiss.

"You want to head back to the car and get the picnic?" she asked, pulling away from him for a moment.

"I want you," he replied, leaning back in towards her. "Do you remember you telling me you wanted to have sex on a beach?" he whispered in her ear.

"Peeta!" she gasped as his hand slipped lower over her the curve of her backside and squeezed. A rush of heat between her legs betrayed her feelings. She wanted him, dammit, she wanted him so much it hurt, but they were in public in the middle of the day. There was no way he could be serious… "Peeta, we _can't…._"

"I know," he replied. "Just wanted to give you a little something to think about."

"Don't," she laughed. "I'll be going crazy all day."

"Welcome to my world."

"Come on," she said, trying to disentangle herself from his embrace but failing miserably. "You want that picnic you're going to have to let me go."

"Just….can you give me a minute?" he asked her. In explanation he pushed his hips forward and she could feel his cock, thick and hard, pressing through their clothes into her.

"You maybe want to sit down for a minute?"

"Probably wise. There are a lot of old women around here. I don't want to upset them."

They sank down on to a patch of sand that was surrounded by more pebbles and Peeta reached towards them, taking a handful. He went through them one at a time, dismissing some instantly, looking at others more closely before also dropping them.

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing?"

With a shy smile he shook his head, looking up at her momentarily before picking up another handful. Once again, some of them he dropped straight away, some he examined a little longer before dropping them with a look of disappointment. He continued the strange behaviour with two more handfuls of pebbles before Katniss began to grow impatient.

"So, is it safe for us to move yet?"

"It is," he said, wiping his hands on the front of his jeans before standing up and helping Katniss to her feet. "You want that picnic yet?"

"Sure."

Peeta gave a clear, loud whistle and Belle came bounding back. She jumped up at him, her paws soaking wet, leaving slightly muddy prints over his shirt. "You having fun, girl?" She gave a loud, excited bark in response, rolled over on to her back and looked up expectantly, refusing to move at all until both Peeta and Katniss had given her several belly rubs. After reattaching her lead, the three of them wandered back to the car and retrieved the wicker picnic basket. Within another fifteen minutes, they had returned to the beach and spread a soft blanket over the sand while Peeta unpacked the food.

"I swear that you're trying to make me fat, Peeta," Katniss said as she looked at everything he had made: three varieties of sandwiches, some with cashew cheese and onion chutney, some with avocado and salsa, some with homemade chickpea burgers and salad, a Waldorf salad made with homemade egg-free mayonnaise, fragrant Moroccan couscous, wild rice with roasted garlic and aubergine… And of course his usual beautifully decorated cupcakes. Today he had made maple and pecan with salted caramel frosting. To drink he had brought a bottle of sparkling elderflower juice, and he poured them both a glass, handing one to Katniss before clinking his own glass against hers. They ate until they were fit to burst and shared most of what was left with Belle, who ate just as ravenously and enthusiastically as her master.

She couldn't possibly feel more content. The sun was warm but not blazing, and the surfeit of food was making her slightly sleepy. She leant back on her elbows, facing towards the sea and allowed herself to deeply breathe in the clean air. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Peeta looking through more pebbles, and she tried to quell the annoyance that he wouldn't tell her what he was doing.

With most of the food gone, and with Peeta lost in his own world, Katniss started to get restless again. Although she tried to keep her impatience hidden, Peeta soon picked up on it. "Did you want to go?" he asked her.

"Whenever you're ready," she replied.

He looked through the last of the pebbles in his hand, and dropping them all back on the beach with a heartfelt sigh, he said, "Let's go, then." It was only the work of a few moments to place the empty plates and blanket back inside the wicker basket, and after signalling to Belle that it was time for them to leave, they slowly began to make their way off the beach.

Suddenly he stopped in his tracks and bent down yet again, picking up another small, orange pebble by his feet. As he turned it slowly over in his hand a smile crept across his face. He polished it on the sleeve of his shirt and held it up to the light before holding it out to Katniss. "Here," he said. "I've been hoping to find some all day. It's amber."

Katniss took the tiny stone from him. Not much bigger than a pearl, the amber was roughly cuboid in shape with weather-smoothed edges that made it almost spherical. Her breath was taken away by the gesture. "You've been looking for amber all day?" she said quietly.

"Uh-huh. I wasn't sure I'd find any, but-"

"How did you… I don't understand…"

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "This beach is pretty renowned for having amber wash up on shore. We'll go for a walk in town in a bit if you like and you'll see all the shops are full of it. Amber jewellery, amber statuettes and ornaments…. but I wanted to find you a piece that was pure. Unadulterated."

The pricking feeling at the back of her eyes gave her just a moment's warning before her vision was obscured by tears. How she had been annoyed at him for trying to find her something so perfect she didn't know. "Peeta, this might be the sweetest gift anyone has ever given me." She was captivated by the smooth amber in her hand, by the gentle warmth it seemed to exude, how it seemed to create its own luminescence….

"You're welcome," he grinned.

"Seriously, this is just wonderful." The words sounded almost hollow but she meant them deeply. "Honestly Peeta, I don't think I could ever repay you for something so thoughtful."

A sly grin spread across his face as he put his arm across her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "Leave it with me. I'm sure I'll think of a way."


	3. Beguile Us in the Way You Know

**A/N – Once again thanks to everyone who has followed/favourite and reviewed. Please do drop by and say hi, it really means the world and I always try to respond :)**

**Also, if you happen to be on tumblr, pop by and say hello there! I'm alatarielgildaen dot tumblr dot com**

**And huge, sterling thanks to Court81981 for being an awesome Beta and tremendous person :) **

* * *

_**October**_

Peeta was immensely proud to be walking hand in hand with such a gorgeous creature. Dressed in a loose-fitting Jim Morrison t-shirt, jeans shorts, tights, Doc Marten style boots and an oversized pleather jacket she'd borrowed from him, and with a guitar slung across her back, she was every inch his dream woman. He glanced across at her. Her face was set in a hard look of determination, but there was a definite underlying nervousness.

"How are you doing?" he asked her.

"Fine," she answered, sounding thoroughly unconvinced.

"You'll be amazing, seriously."

She smiled tightly and looked down at the floor while Peeta squeezed her hand to reassure her. Finnick had mentioned how she ought to sing a song or two at an open mic night he often attended. At first she had shot the idea down, but Peeta had been very persuasive. Eventually she had given in to his persistent requests, but he could see how nervous she was. She had absolutely no idea how talented she was, and he found that humbleness so appealing.

When they finally reached the pub, Katniss tensed slightly next to him as they looked in through the window. It was already starting to get busy and it was only half past seven.

"I'm not sure if I can do this," she said, turning to him.

He placed his lips against her forehead and enveloped her in his arms. "No one's going to make you," he answered. "But they'll love you if you do it, I promise. You're so good, Katniss."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Let's just see what happens, then, ok?"

"Sure," he replied, opening the pub door for her and standing back to allow her to go first. "But fair warning; you know how persuasive I can be."

Peeta got the first round of drinks in at the bar while he pointed out to Katniss the last available table, signalling for Finn and Annie to go and join her when they finally entered the pub a couple of minutes later. Peeta carefully picked up the three pints as well as Annie's vodka tonic, manoeuvring his way through the growing crowd before setting the drinks down on the table and settling himself down next to Katniss. "Cheers," he said, raising his glass slightly before taking a hefty swig.

It wasn't long before the night began to get fully underway. The first act was pretty terrible: two girls with ukuleles who could neither play particularly well nor hold a tune to save their lives.

"At least I won't be the worst one here," Katniss said in a low voice, cringing as one of the girls failed to hit an especially high note.

"You never would have been anyway," Peeta reassured her. "Finn's playing, don't forget."

"Oi, you watch it, mate," replied Finnick. "Else I'll force you up on that stage with me."

The next act was equally awful: a male/female duet who had gotten far too drunk before getting up on stage. Peeta thought they probably would have been good if they hadn't overindulged; they could clearly sing, but neither of them could remember what they were playing and they mostly fell about on stage laughing until they apologised and gave it up.

Peeta could see that the next act did little to settle Katniss' rising nerves. The solo girl played fiddle as she belted out old English folk songs. Her voice had power and soul and the longer she sang, the more Peeta noticed a nervous twitch in Katniss' leg. He placed his hand over her thigh and gently squeezed her to reassure her. "Stop it. She's good, but you're better," he said to her, nuzzling into her neck and placing a series of kisses just behind her ear.

She playfully pushed him away and focused her attention on her pint. "You're just saying that because you feel obligated."

"No, I'm seri—" That was when he noticed her, taking him so much by surprise that he was unable to finish his sentence. Crossing in front of his line of vision, heading towards a small table near the stage. Jenn. He hadn't seen her since the morning of his accident, having left her to look after their animals while he went sabbing. He marvelled at that for a moment; Ipswich wasn't a large place and to have managed to avoid someone for nearly three years….

"Ow," Katniss hissed. Peeta withdrew his hand immediately; in his shock he had gripped tighter than ever on to her leg. "Sorry," he apologised. "I'm so sorry."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing," he lied, unsure if he should mention her name. Instead he reached for his pint with a shaking hand, cursing himself for allowing her appearance to rattle him so much. And cursing her for doing this to him in the first place.

Finnick noticed Peeta's behaviour; how grey and ashen he had become, how quiet and withdrawn. "What's up, mate?"

Annie noticed her first. She nudged Finnick and nodded in the direction of where Jenn was sat. He visibly tensed then turned back to Peeta. "Do you want to leave?"

He shook his head. No. He didn't want to leave. He wanted to be able to go out for a pint with his girlfriend and not have an anxiety attack just because his ex was in the vicinity.

"What is it?" Katniss repeated, more urgently.

"My ex is here," he said, the strain apparent in his voice.

"The one who…?" There was no need for her to finish her question. Peeta nodded and downed most of his remaining pint. "Fuck her," she said venomously.

"I'm sorry?" he said, startled by Katniss' language. She swore so rarely that hearing swear words come from her, particularly said with such aggression, came as something of a shock.

"Fuck her," she said, shrugging. "Don't let her get to you. You've done nothing wrong, and her loss is my gain. Fuck her." She also knocked back the majority of her pint. "Who wants another?" she asked the group. Everyone nodded and Katniss stalked off towards the bar.

"She's right, mate. This was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm surprised it hasn't already. Don't let it ruin your night. And don't forget what you've got now. The last thing Katniss wants to see is you moping around because your ex is in the room."

"I'm not moping," he protested fiercely.

"Doesn't look that way, mate."

Katniss returned a few minutes later carrying their drinks on a tray. Peeta was ashamed to notice that she seemed to be in a foul mood now. Slamming his drink down in front of him and spilling it a little, she grabbed the tray to return it to the bar. On her return she grabbed hold of the guitar that she had left propped up in the corner. "I'm going to see if I can go next."

She left the three of the alone and marched towards the compere. "I think I know someone who won't be getting laid tonight," Finnick said.

"Finn, stop," Annie admonished. "And Peeta, I know it must be a shock. But think how this feels to Katniss. You look like you're pining over her."

"I'm not pining!" he objected.

"But that's what it looks like. What it probably feels like to her."

He felt the bottom of his stomach drop out. Before she got up on stage he had to talk to her; there was no way he could allow her up there if that's what she was thinking. He pushed forward through the gathered crowd until he reached her. "Katniss?" he called to her as he got a little closer and she turned around to face him. "I'm sorry. Don't think badly of me, please."

"I don't."

"It was just a shock. That's all."

"I know, Peeta. It's not you I'm not angry at, ok?"

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," she replied, cupping the side of his face before placing a soft kiss on his lips.

The relief he felt at her words was clearly palpable, as half the tension in his body left him. "Good luck. You'll be amazing, I know you will."

She smiled a little, a rosy glow creeping over her cheeks. "Peeta, it's just a small pub gig. It's hardly the Albert Hall."

"Gotta start somewhere though, right?" he grinned at her as the compere announced that she was up next. Peeta mouthed '_Good luck'_ at her again before returning to sit with Finnick and Annie.

He picked up his pint, eagerly watching the stage as Katniss came and sat on a stool in front of the microphone. Discomfort from the attention was emanating from her in waves but Peeta willed her to keep going.

"Hi," she said, not really looking into the audience. "Ummm, I was going to do _Chasing Cars_ by Snow Patrol, but I've changed my mind." Some heckler in the audience shouted out, "Thank god!" and Peeta tried to find the culprit, immediately flashing the suspect a glare. Katniss swallowed and when she looked up the look on her face was more determined than ever. "This one goes out to anyone who has ever been burned by love."

The first time he heard her sing the he felt as though the world could have ended without him noticing. And that still hadn't changed. The notes that came from her were strong and clear, and he couldn't tear his eyes away as he allowed the song to wash over him.

"_I would have given you all of my heart  
But there's someone who's torn it apart  
And he's taken just all that I had  
But if you want I'll try to love again  
Baby I'll try to love again but I know…."_

He barely heard the rest of the lyrics, so mesmerised was he by her presence and vocal prowess, but it was clear that she was singing directly to him. Yes, he'd been cut deeply, he'd been burned badly by love, but with her help he could recover and love again…As the final chord on her guitar slowly died away Peeta remembered to breathe. He was on his feet, clapping and cheering with the rest of the assembled audience, but while the rest of the audience was blown away by her sheer talent he was also taken aback by her song choice, knowing how apt those particular words were in his life. He risked a glance over to where Jenn was sat. She was clapping along with everyone else, still entirely unaware that he was in the room. He looked back to Katniss on stage and as their eyes met across the room she flashed him a small half smile. _"Thank you," _he mouthed back at her.

Several people were calling for an encore. Katniss looked at the compere and her question to him, "Have I got time for another?" resonated out across the microphone. When the compere nodded another loud cheer went up from the crowd.

"Ok," she said. "Well, I guess I have my father to thank for my musical interests. He was a mod in the sixties, and growing up at home if you didn't at least appreciate the mod scene you'd go mad. I'm going to do a song called _Afterglow_ by Small Faces. This has always been a favourite song of mine, and I want to dedicate this to a really special guy." Peeta suddenly felt as if the room were empty apart from the two of them. His heart skipped several beats as his feet carried him closer to the stage. "Peeta Mellark. This is for you."

At the mention of his name he became aware of Jenn spinning in her seat and looking around the room. Her mouth fell open at the sight of him and he forced himself to keep looking at the stage. Katniss was giving him the opportunity to show Jenn that he was fine, that he was strong without her, and he was going to grasp that opportunity with both hands. She began to sing, and her eyes were on him; no one else in the world mattered except the two of them.

"_Love, love is all around me, everywhere,  
Love has come to touch my soul  
With someone who really cares.  
No one can deny us,  
People who once passed me by  
Will turn their heads round._

"I'm happy just to be with you  
And loving you the way I do,  
There's everything I need to know  
Just resting in the afterglow of your love.

"You, yes you have always been here,  
Feeling deep inside.  
A feeling that I could not see  
Or touch, or try to hide.  
My love is in and around you,  
I bless the day that I found you,  
So listen up baby.

"I'm happy just to be with you  
And loving you the way I do, yeah,  
There's everything I need to know  
Just resting in the afterglow of your love."

The room broke out in tumultuous applause as soon as she finished the song. Peeta leapt up on stage, picked her up in his arms and swung her around, pressing his lips in to hers over and over and over again. "That was wonderful," he whispered to her, and not caring that the whole room was watching them he kissed her again, weaving his hands in to her hair to hold her steady.

"Thanks," she grinned when they finally broke apart, her forehead resting against his. She grasped his hand in hers and together the two of them climbed down from the stage.

Finn was up next, and as he took his place on the stool he said into the microphone, "Before I start I just need to check, Peeta, if I dedicate a song to you will I get the same treatment?" The crowd laughed appreciatively as he began to play, wowing them with an acoustic rendition of Jeff Buckley's _Lilac Wine_.

The room was becoming hot and stuffy, and after Finnick had finished playing, Katniss asked if the two of them could head outside to get a little fresh air. On their way out, Peeta heard his name being called. He spun on the spot and was face to face with Jenn. "Do you want another drink?" Katniss asked him, her hand resting on his lower back.

"Please," he responded, realising how dry his mouth had become.

"I'll, um, I'll see you in a minute, ok?" said Katniss, briefly kissing him before walking away.

Face to face with the woman who trampled on his heart, Peeta found that he simply had nothing to say to her. His mind was completely blank. "Hello, Jenny," he said at last.

She seemed similarly unsure of what to say. "It's um, it's good to see you."

"Ok."

She looked over Peeta's shoulder in the direction Katniss had walked. "She seems nice."

"Yeah. She is."

An awkward pause before she asked, "Have you been seeing her long?"

"It's been a couple of months."

Jenn nodded and looked away for a moment. "Well. I'm glad you're happy."

Peeta felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. To say 'I'm glad you're happy' after what she had done to him….? He swallowed the feeling away. Katniss had given him this opportunity to show her how well he was doing without her. He didn't want to ruin it. "And you? Are you seeing anyone?"

"Yeah…." She looked over her shoulder and Peeta caught the eye of a tall, handsome, but rather arrogant looking blond guy looking over at them. "We've been seeing each other about three-and-a-half years now."

Three-and-a-half years…. Peeta stared at her, that feeling of being punched in the gut returning ten times as strong, as a massive piece of the puzzle fell in to place. Three-and-half-years ago they'd been engaged. Three-and-a-half years ago they'd still been living together. And it was a little over three-and-a-half years ago that cracks had started to appear in their relationship. She had been having an affair for the last nine months of their relationship. He could have kicked himself for not spotting it sooner; she had become more and more distant, she had spurned his advances repeatedly…. But the idea of cheating on her was such an alien concept to him that he hadn't even contemplated that she could do it to him.

Nine months of their relationship was a lie…. But they had only gotten engaged two months prior to that...

Swallowing the bile that had risen to the surface, he said in a voice of forced calm, "So, where did you meet?"

"At the gym," she replied. "We got talking after one of my yoga classes."

"I see. Well, thanks for telling me, Jenn. Thanks for being so fucking straight up with me, that for two-and-a-half years I was tearing my hair out thinking no one would ever want to be with a deformed freak. Thanks for giving me absolutely no fucking clue about the truth, and leading me to think that this—" he pointed at his lower left leg, "—was the sole reason you walked out on me. Fuck. An affair I could have dealt with. What you did, how you ended it, was un-fucking-forgiveable."

"Peeta—"

"Would you have ended it with me if I hadn't been unconscious? Or would you have just kept stringing me along, maybe waited until we were actually married?"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. I'd just…. I'd fallen out of love with you, Peeta. I'd wanted a way out for a long time."

"When? At what point did you decide you no longer loved me, but that you didn't respect me enough to end it?"

"It wasn't like that, Peeta. At first I wanted to love you. When Cato and I met, I still wanted to be in love with you. When you proposed I thought it would make me fall in love with you again."

"Wait, you were feeing this _before _we got engaged? What kind of twisted fucking logic is that, Jenny?"

"Peeta, don't make a scene."

"Sorry, what?" he said, as all the anger and hurt he had felt after her total rejection of him bubbled up to the surface. "Don't make a scene? How did you expect me to react?"

"Well, you've obviously moved on. I just thought we should wipe the slate."

"Are you for real? Moved on? Yeah, I've moved on. Took me fucking long enough but I finally managed to pick myself up out of the shattered mess you left me in and yes. I'm happy now. No fucking thanks to you."

Jenn's boyfriend, Cato, stood up and came over to her side. He loomed over Peeta, trying to look intimidating, but Peeta was too angry to be bothered by empty threats. "Is there a problem, babe?"

"No," said Peeta before Jenn could speak. "No, there's no problem. And you know what? I take it back. I want to thank you for what you did. Thank you for ripping my heart out, chewing it up and spitting it back out. Thank you for every fucking sleepless night, thank you for the anxiety and the panic attacks, for the uncertainty, for the insecurities you left me with, for the fear, thank you for every single fucking suicidal thought, and thank you for all the pain and misery you heaped on me. Because you know what? If I hadn't had that, maybe, just maybe I would have found someone else before Katniss. And if I had, I wouldn't be as happy as I am now. So thank you for the hell you put me through, because it was worth it in the end."

Without another word to her he turned away and practically bumped into Katniss. He was shaking with fury, but as soon as he saw Katniss he immediately began to calm down. "You did brilliantly," she whispered to him as she threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you," he whispered back, struggling to keep his voice steady.

She released her hold on him just long enough to hand him a new pint, which we accepted gratefully, taking several large swigs to steady his nerves. "Can we go outside?" he asked her when he felt he was able to use his voice again.

"Of course," she said, leading the way through the crowded room and out to the beer garden. There were a couple of bench seats free and Katniss made a beeline straight towards them. "You know, I'm so proud of you," she said, turning towards him and twisting one of his curls around her finger.

"Thanks."

"Seriously, Peeta. You did really well back there. How are you feeling?"

He pushed his hair back off his face with shaking hands. "Shocked," he responded, his breath ragged. "Still shaking now," he said, holding his hand up and trying to hold it steady. "Look."

She took hold of his trembling hand and rested it on her leg, slowly circling the back of it with her thumb until his breathing started to return to normal. "I'll say it again, Peeta. I really am proud of you."

"Cheers. I'm proud of you. You were fantastic. I told you that you had nothing to worry about."

"You did. I need to listen to you more."

"Yeah, you do."

She placed her drink on the floor by her feet and took Peeta's pint from him in order to do the same before leaning in close to him once again. "Peeta," she breathed in his ear, and nervousness tinted the edge of her voice. "I need to tell you something.… I…. I love you."

His heart stopped for a moment before leaping into his throat and pounding with a frantic rhythm. Hearing her sing those words in someone else's lyrics was one thing. Hearing her say it to him, for the first time, was something else entirely. He could see his shocked reflection in her shining grey eyes. For quite some time now he had known that he was in love with her. The intense emotions he'd had for her when they first met had grown and developed into something very real and deep and he had wanted to tell those words her every single day since he realised that it was indeed love he was feeling. But he had wanted her to say it first. It was so important to him that she say it first, just in case it was too soon, in case she felt rushed. Or worse, in case she felt pressured to say it back without meaning it. Slowly his brain caught up with his racing heart and he pulled her into his tight embrace. "I love you, too," he said, peppering her face with kisses. "I love you so much."

"I know you do," she grinned.

Nothing seemed real in that moment; it was as if he were wandering through some wonderful dream. The background noise from the pub seemed to diminish and all that existed in that moment was the two of them. What he'd said to Jenn came back to him and rang truer than ever. He was right; all the hurt and misery he had suffered through was worth it in the end because it had led him to this moment in time, and that was something he wouldn't change for anything. A feeling of giddy light-headedness overtook him, and he was entirely unable to prevent the laughter that fell from him.

"What's so funny?" she asked him.

"Nothing," he said, trying to regain control of his breathing. "I'm just unbelievably happy, that's all."

He reached for her hand and held it against his lips. "Do you want to get out of here?" she asked him as he repeatedly kissed her digits over and over again.

"More than anything," he replied. He downed the remainder of his pint, the sudden influx of alcohol making him feel even more giddy, before staggering to his feet and helping Katniss up too. "Get your guitar and we'll go."

She flashed him a perfect smile before turning on her heels and practically skipping away from him. Looking around the beer garden Peeta caught sight of Finnick and Annie and made his way through the crowd towards them. "We're off," he said as soon as he reached them.

"Well, don't you look like the cat that got the cream?" said Finnick, raising his eyebrow at his best mate. "You ok?"

"More than ok," grinned Peeta.

"Jenn?"

"Can fuck right off."

"Good lad. Been saying the same for years, so I'm glad you finally caught up."

"I know, I know." He looked over his shoulder where he could see Katniss waiting for him. "I have to go," he said again, his heart pounding with desperation to be back by Katniss' side. "I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Go on, get out of here," he winked, raising his pint to his lips.

Ducking back through the crowds he soon found himself back by her side. Clasping her hand in his own he led her out of the pub, catching sight of Jenn watching the pair of them leave. He kept his head held high as he walked past, finally closing the door at last on the darkest chapter of his life. Katniss slipped her arm around his waist as they walked towards the taxi rank, and the pride he had felt earlier at being seen with such a beautiful woman increased tenfold. Now he wasn't just with her. He was _loved_ by her.


	4. Remember Remember

**A/N –Number one, sorry for making you wait a little longer for this! But I thougt it far more appropriate to upload it today rather than last week ;)  
**

**I just realised that I never explained the chapter titles, as they are probably seemingly incredibly random. Each one comes from a quote, proverb or poem about that particular month. So this one comes from the famous poem, "**_**Remember remember the fifth of November, Gunpower treason and plot."**_** The chapter has nothing to do with Guy Fawkes, other than the date it's set, but as it's set on the fifth, it seemed a perfect chapter title!**

**Thanks as always go to Court81981 for tremendous beta work, and especially for keeping me calm through the potentially disastrous tea-spilling-over-the-laptop-incident of the last week. You're a legend, lady!**

**Also, the Wrath oneshot I did for Prompts in Panem would appear chronologically not long after this chapter, and certainly before the next chapter is set. So if you want to, feel free to read _The Second Hurdle_ after this chapter.**

**Anyways, Happy Halloween, and enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review, they make us fanfic writers smile so much :)**

* * *

_**November**_

Jo had wanted Katniss to take her to Thorpe Park at Halloween for the last couple of years. She had described the mazes that got set up purely for the Halloween season, filled with actors in costume ready to jump out at any moment, and how she desperately wanted to go. Katniss had made excuses each time as to why she wouldn't go, but the truth was she was nervous. She wasn't a fan of rollercoasters or indeed anything where her life wasn't firmly in her own hands, and the idea of being in a darkened maze while blood-covered actors jumped out on her wasn't her idea of a good time.

Much to Katniss' utter horror and chagrin, this year Jo happened to mention her desire to go to Thorpe one evening when Gale had stopped by for a beer.

"Thorpe Park's owned by Merlin Attractions, right?" he asked.

"Dunno," replied Jo. "Sounds about right."

He nodded thoughtfully before speaking again. "You remember that shoot I did earlier this year at the London Eye?"

"Uh-huh," said Jo, while at the same time, Katniss felt a sinking sensation in her stomach as she began to predict where the conversation was going.

"As part of my payment, I was given four VIP passes to any Merlin-owned attraction in the country. We'd get free entry, be able to queue jump all day, even get discounts on food and drink."

"Well," said Jo, with an unnaturally wide grin on her face, "that's settled. Try and worm your way out that one, Brainless. No excuses this time."

She allowed herself a small smirk as she pulled out the ace up her sleeve. "I'm not doing anything like that without Peeta. Sorry," she added glancing between Jo and Gale. She hated using Peeta as an excuse, but she really did not want to be forced into going. The last time Peeta and Gale had been in the same room, they had been at severe loggerheads, resulting in Gale showing Peeta that Katniss had not been entirely truthful with him. It had almost cost them their entire relationship.

Gale seemed to be debating something with himself. He rubbed his hand over his face briefly before pushing his hair back off his forehead. "I've got four passes, Katniss. You should see if he wants to come." She stared at him for a moment, completely speechless, before he continued talking. "I mean it, Katniss. He's part of your life now, it's not like we can avoid each other forever."

"It probably wouldn't be his thing," said Katniss, desperately clutching at straws.

"What do you mean 'it wouldn't be his thing'? Who doesn't like theme parks?" said Gale incredulously.

"Peeta has better things to worry about than rollercoasters and scary mazes."

"He wants to know when we're going so he can see if someone can cover him at home," piped up Jo, reading a text from her phone, a sly smirk across her face.

"Did you….did you just text him?" said Katniss, anger lacing the edge of her voice.

"Yup. And I'd say that judging by how quickly he got back to me this is precisely 'his thing.'"

"How—? What —? How do you even have his number?" stammered Katniss.

"Got it off your phone ages ago. Just in case."

"Oh, and do the pair of you have long cozy chats often?"

"Alright, Little Miss Jealousy. Calm yourself down. I'm not after your man, you'd know it if I was. But you can quit making excuses now. We don't have to pay, there's no waiting around, there's cheap food, and you get to cry on Peeta's shoulders if it gets too much."

"Not necessarily. He might not find cover. We've had to put plans on hold before because of that."

"How about you find out when he can get cover, and we'll plan it from there?" suggested Gale.

Katniss seethed at her friends for a moment before snatching up her phone. "I'm so unimpressed with all three of you right now," she muttered as she stormed in to her room. As soon as she slammed her bedroom door, she dialled Peeta's number. After just a single ring he answered.

"Hey gorgeous, I've missed you."

"How long have you Jo been texting each other?"

The pause he gave before speaking seemed, in Katniss' mind, to drag on for hours. "What?"

"You heard me. Text each other often, do you?"

"What? No!"

"What do the two of you talk about?"

"Katniss, I— "

"Do you talk about me behind my back, is that what's going on?"

"Katniss, nothing's going on!" he said, and he sounded so amused by the situation that Katniss began to think that maybe she had overreacted. "I got a text off her about two months ago saying 'Its Jo, this is my number just in case you ever needed it' and I haven't heard from her since. Until just now."

"Oh." Her room suddenly felt incredibly hot, and she could feel her cheeks burning.

"So, um… When are you planning this trip to Thorpe?" he asked, clearly trying to change the subject so she could save face.

"You don't really want to go, do you?" she asked, sitting heavily on the end of her bed.

"Absolutely, I want to go! I think I was about twenty the last time I went to a theme park."

"Even with Gale there?"

"Gale will be there?" he repeated, and Katniss was pleased to hear that his tone was flat. Maybe there was still a chance that she could get out of it…

"Yes," she replied. "They're his passes we'd be using."

"Ok," he said at last.

"What?"

"Ok, I mean, you said ages ago that we couldn't avoid each other forever. You're right. And if he behaves, I will too."

She closed her eyes and collapsed back against her bed, feeling her last excuse to get out of the trip disappear. Neither Gale nor Jo would take 'no' for an answer, and she didn't want to let Peeta down when he'd initially been so excited over it…. "When can you make it?" she said eventually. "We'll have to work around you."

As it turned out, they almost missed out. The mazes stayed open until the fifth of November, and this happened to be the only day that Peeta was able to get Finn and Annie to cover for him, having still not found a suitable volunteer. When Jo was able to get the day off work too and Gale called to say that he didn't have any assignments that day, she had to hide her mixed fear and disappointment. She was out of excuses. They were going.

* * *

He arrived the night before so that they could all travel down to Thorpe Park early and make a full day of it. Gale turned up just as Katniss was making her first coffee of the day. His presence, coupled with the stiff and oddly formal greeting he and Peeta gave each other, did little to ease her rising anxiety.

The three of them sat in Katniss' living room, silently sipping at their tea and coffee, waiting for Jo to get out of the shower so they could make tracks. Eventually Gale broke the awkward silence. "Look, um, no hard feelings, ok? I was out of line. I know that."

As far as apologies were concerned, Katniss had heard better. But Gale's pride meant he wasn't big on apologies. If that was as good as it would get, so be it.

"Thank you," said Peeta quietly, and Katniss could feel him relax ever so slightly next to her. He took a few more silent sips of his tea before breaking the silence himself this time. "So, how did you get these passes, then?" As he spoke, Katniss stretched her legs out over Peeta's lap, cradling her mug of coffee while Peeta absent-mindedly ran his fingers up and down the side of her calf.

"It was a promotional shoot at the London Eye. I photographed the Olympic Track and Field team, and was given them as a gift. Well, I say the Olympians. Wasn't quite as good as that. Turns out it was only the Paralympic team."

Katniss felt Peeta tense underneath her; his fingers ceased moving and she noticed his mouth had become a hard line. "That was still a great job, Gale," she said, hoping she could get his focus to shift to a more positive view.

"It's hardly as prestigious though," he retorted. "I mean, come on, name one Paralympian. Other than the guy who's standing trial for murder." When both Katniss and Peeta failed to answer, he said, "See? And I bet you've only heard of Pistorius since he killed his girlfriend."

"They're incredible athletes, though. Better than any of us."

"Oh come on, Katniss. No one watches it for the athletics. They watch it for the freakshow."

"Freakshow?" said Peeta quietly. His grip on Katniss' leg had become almost painfull, but she didn't want to draw any extra attention to Peeta.

"Gale, they're not freaks. That's a horrible thing to say."

"Whatever, Catnip. But if I was given the choice between Jessica Ennis or one of her limbless Paralympic counterparts I know who I'd choose. Am I right?" He directed this last at Peeta, trying for some typical male camaraderie.

It took Peeta a moment to answer, and when he did, Katniss couldn't help but notice the tone of forced calm. "I'd hope that I'd be able to see past anything like that."

Gale raised his eyebrow before he gulped back half of his coffee. "Well, you're either trying to sound noble to impress Katniss, or you're a braver man than me."

"Brave? What's bravery got to do with it?"

"When I got offered the job I was halfway through a shoot for _Men's Health_ magazine. They were doing a spot on Christopher Marvel."

Katniss looked utterly blank while Peeta continued to stare blindly in front of him, all the while gripping tightly to her leg.

"You know," continued Gale, "England's centre-forward? 'Captain' Marvel? Anyway, he's a right laugh, and I got the call for the Paralympics job when we were on lunch. He showed me something on his phone, and once you've seen it, you can't un-see it. Look up 'Two guys, One stump.' Believe me, you see that shit you'd never want to hook up with one of them either. When I was photographing them it was all I could think of."

It was lucky that at that moment Jo came bursting in to the room. "We ready to go then?" she said.

Gale knocked back the remainder of his coffee and stood up, following Jo from the living room. Peeta stayed sat unnaturally still for a few moments longer before Katniss spoke in a hushed tone. "He doesn't know, Peeta. He wasn't saying those things as a dig at you."

After a moment Peeta sagged in apparent defeat. "I know, Katniss. Can't you see how much worse that makes it? He wasn't saying it to have a go, that's what he actually thinks."

"We don't have to go," she suggested hopefully. "We could have a day here, just the two of us."

For a moment her hopes were raised as he appeared to be considering her offer. "No," he said at last. "No, I want to go. I've been looking forward to it."

With a nod and a defeated sigh she swung her legs off him and stood up. "Let's go then," she said. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Jo didn't drive, and living so close to Central, Gale couldn't see the point of owning a car in London, so it was up to either Peeta or Katniss to get them to Thorpe. Peeta tried to insist, but Katniss shot him down; her car was bigger, more comfortable, and she didn't think it fair to get him to drive after he'd driven all the way from Suffolk the night before. She also thought that the drive would help steady her nerves by giving her something to focus on.

It took just under an hour to reach Thorpe, and the car park was surprisingly empty for such an unseasonably sunny day. This surprised Katniss until she remembered that the kids had just returned to school after half-term.

"Perfect," said Jo, as they clambered out of Katniss' car. "It feels a bit like summer but with the added bonus of no brats running around under our feet."

"So, what do you want to do first?" Gale asked as the four of them made their way towards the entrance gate.

"Get a tea. Without a doubt," replied Peeta.

Gale looked at him incredulously for a moment. "You had one less than an hour ago," he snorted.

"Yup. And blood analysis would show I'm made of about seventy-five percent tea. If I don't keep my levels topped up bad things start to happen."

Peeta's request turned out to not be as simple as it initially sounded. The four of them trawled the food kiosks for a good twenty minutes until they finally found one that offered soy milk as an option. Katniss noticed that Gale had been biting his tongue, stopping himself from making any kind of comments, while Jo was shifting impatiently from foot to foot. Their obvious agitation at waiting around while Peeta nursed his prize caused her already frayed nerves to build even further, compounded by the discussion Jo started about where they were going to begin their day.

After looking at the map they had picked up on entry to the Park, Johanna insisted on doing the _Saw_ ride first. Katniss swallowed apprehensively. She wasn't a fan of the _Saw_ movies and she wasn't a fan of rollercoasters; the two combined felt like something from her worst nightmares. Then there was the fact that she was dreading the mazes they'd be going through later. As they arrived at the queue entrance, the sound of tortured screams were being played out over the PA system. Panic welled up in her.

"No," she said firmly. "Fuck this, you guys go on, I'm not doing it."

"Really?" Peeta said, disappointment evident even in just that one word, as he looked up at the ride in longing. He turned to Gale and Johanna, who were itching to go. "We'll wait here for you."

"We? No, Peeta, you go, I'll be fine."

"I'm not leaving you on your own."

"I'll be fine."

"But I'm not leaving you."

Katniss took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "You really don't have to, Peeta."

"Look," he said, his tone light-hearted as he pulled her into a hug. "I just want to spend the day with you. If that means I have to spend the whole day on the side-lines watching other people have fun and missing out on it myself then so be it."

She glared daggers at him as he tried to hide the fact that he was trying not to laugh. "Fine," she snapped. "Let's go." She grabbed hold of his hand and marched towards the fast-track line.

"Nice manipulation," Gale chuckled, as he patted Peeta on the shoulder, a newfound respect in his voice. "Never known anyone to be able to get her to change her mind on anything so quickly."

Katniss put on a brave face, but she still held steady to Peeta as they made their way closer and closer to the start of the ride. She hated feeling like this - and it was daytime and out in the open. She dreaded to think what it was going to be like in a dark and enclosed space when the mazes opened later, with the bloodied actors running at them. Her sense of dread increased as they quickly moved ahead of the waiting people thanks to their fast-track passes. The waiting area had been designed to look like Jigsaw's workshop: dead bodies, blood splatters, spiked torture devices, chains, and in pride of place a reverse bear trap. She kept her head down and clutched Peeta's hand a little tighter.

"Are you ok?" Peeta asked her, slipping his arm around her waist as they stood at the head of the queue, waiting for the next carriage.

"Mmm-hmm," she nodded, unable to trust herself to open her own mouth.

When the carriage finally arrived, and the previous occupants departed the seats, windswept and exhilarated, Katniss felt barely able to breathe. Peeta leant in towards her and whispered, "Are you sure you want to do it? I won't think anything less of you if you've changed your mind."

He was being genuine, she was certain. But his kind words made her even more determined. Gripping his hand tighter than ever, she marched through the barriers and took a seat, ensuring Peeta was one side of her, Gale on the other.

As the safety locks came down, securing them in place, she felt like she was being led to her death. This wasn't helped when the cart stopped abruptly just around the corner. A loud chuckling noise echoed all around them and from around a corner, cycling in on a tricycle, the puppet from the _Saw_ films appeared.

"Holy shit," she whispered, as he slowly turned to look at them.

After a moment he spoke in a menacing rasp. "You have been locked in to a mechanical restraint from which there is no escape. Ahead are a series of devices that will determine your existence. Time is against you. Live or die. Make your choice. Let the games begin."

She was vaguely aware of the laughter coming from either side of her; Peeta, Johanna, and Gale were having the time of their lives as the carriage jerked in to life again.

"Peeta, I've changed my mind," she called out, turning her head slightly to face him, just as the carriage began to move inexorably forward.

"You'll be fine," he called back. "Try and relax." He dropped his arm so she could grab hold of his fingers which she gratefully gripped as tight as possible.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep her breathing under control. Swinging in front of them were two giant blades. _'They'll stop when we reach them,'_ she thought desperately. '_They'll stop when we reach them.'_

But just before they reached the point of no return, the carriage plunged vertically downwards into blackness. She screamed as she immediately dropped Peeta's hand, clutching for dear life on to the safety harness holding her in place. Strobe lights afforded the riders glimpses of bloodied spikes below them, which they seemed to avoid by millimetres, and all hell broke loose. Air cannons fired in their faces as the sounds of guns roared in their ears. Water sprayed in their faces from severed arteries, bodies were everywhere… And suddenly they were back outside as the train seemed to slow to halt. Katniss breathed a sigh of relief but only momentarily. The track in front of them was pointing directly into the sky.

Televisions flicked in to life on either side of them, and that hateful puppet was back. "Game over."

She kept her eyes tight shut as she could feel herself flat on her back tilted towards the sky. "Ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck…."

"Open your eyes," she could hear Peeta laughing. "This is amazing!"

She dared to open them just a crack just as the carriage came to the very top of the incline. She had no idea how high they were, but the wind was far more pronounced up here, whipping her hair around her face. Risking a glance at the ground, she looked at the people walking on the safe earth below, at how small they appeared from way up high. "Peeta, you fucking _arse_," she cried, her words becoming lost as the carriage reached the very top of the incline, flipping over to face directly downwards, and it plunged towards the ground, narrowly missing more spinning blades and throwing them into several loops and twists. She clung on for dear life, completely unable to move until, at long last, the carriage finally came to a complete stop and their safety harnesses were released.

She clambered unsteadily to her feet and staggered off to one side, Peeta supporting her with an arm around her waist. As she looked up into his grinning face, his clear blue eyes sparkling mischievously, she began to laugh uncontrollably. "You ok?" he grinned.

"Yeah," she chuckled. "No thanks to you." She playfully smacked the top of his arms.

"What?" he said, mock offended. "I looked after you!"

"How, exactly?!"

"You're safe, right?" he said, still chuckling. She rolled her eyes at him in response. "And," he continued, "I bet you feel really alive right now, yeah?" She pursed her lips, refusing to answer and prove him right. "Well. You have me to thank for feeling that way. You're welcome."

"I'll get you back for this," she promised.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, throwing his arm over her shoulder as they left the ride exit.

Despite her show of annoyance, Katniss was immensely proud of herself for overcoming her initial fear. And Peeta was right. She really did feel alive - and strangely excited to try the next ride out.

Her confidence increased as the day went by; the only ride she couldn't bring herself to go on was _Stealth;_ the 200-foot practically vertical drop was simply too much for her to handle. Peeta stayed by her side as Gale and Jo rode it together. "I'm sorry," she said to him. "It's just too much."

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "I'm really surprised. I mean, I've seen how you climb trees, so you can't be scared of heights."

"Ok, buster, number one, I've never climbed a 200-foot tree before, and secondly I'm not afraid of heights. It's the plummeting towards the ground at eighty miles an hour I'm not too keen on."

He swept his arms around her waist and pulled her in close to him. "I told you," he said, pressing gentle kisses down her neck and sending a jolt of heat straight to her core, "I'd look after you."

She melted into his embrace, cupping the side of his face and bringing him to face her, meeting his lips with hers. "You could have gone on without me," she said, flushed and slightly breathless.

"I could have," he replied. "But I've wanted to get you alone all day."

"We're hardly alone, Peeta," she chuckled as she looked around at the masses.

"I know, but this is the most alone we've been." He pulled her body flush with his and let out a heavy sigh. "God, I can't wait to get you home," he said in a low voice.

"Ugh, me too."

"You're having a good time though?"

"It's ok," she replied, not wanting to admit that she was enjoying herself far more than she had anticipated.

"Just ok?"

"Yeah. Well, better than I thought at least. It's ok," she replied.

"Bollocks. I think I actually heard you laugh more than scream on the last ride."

"Alright, alright. I'm having a good time, ok?"

"Have you got your camera?" Peeta asked, seemingly randomly, and with a tone of urgency in his voice.

"Sure," she replied, pulling it out of her handbag and handing it to him. He put his arm around her shoulders and held the camera at length, pointing it at themselves. After he took the photo and checked that it had come out ok, Katniss asked, "What was so urgent that it needed a photo there and then?"

He shrugged. "I just wanted to capture the moment that Katniss Everdeen admitted she was wrong."

She playfully pushed him away. "Yeah, well, don't tell Jo, ok? I'll never live it down."

"Your secret is safe with me," he winked.

It didn't take long for the Gale and Jo to return to them, by which point it was nearing four o'clock, and the mazes were about to open. According to the park guide they had picked up when they first arrived, the nearest one to them was _Asylum. _

"You ready for this?" Jo asked them all as she led the way.

Swallowing the nerves that threatened to overcome her, and clutching even tighter to Peeta's arm, Katniss said, "Fine. Let's get this over with."

She very nearly bottled it. A park attendant lined them up before they went in to explain the rules, and Katniss focused all her energy on breathing and trying to stay calm. The only real thing in the world was the warmth of Peeta's hand as it engulfed her own.

"Number one rule," called out the attendant. "Do not touch the actors under any circumstance. They are going to come very close to you. They are going to be moving erratically. Do not touch them and certainly do not hit them. You will be removed from the park if you do. It is their job to scare you, not the other way around, so don't try to scare them. It won't work and you'll only end up looking like a fool, and ruining the experience for yourself. Do not enter the maze if you suffer from light sensitive epilepsy. Do not enter if you have a heart condition. Do not enter if you are pregnant."

For a moment Katniss seriously considered lying in order to get out of having to go in but before she knew it they were entering… god only knew what. She made Peeta go first, clutching him round the middle and resting her face on his strong back.

They stepped inside, Jo leading the way, Gale not far behind her. As soon as the doors to outside were closed behind them, they were plunged in to a world of darkness and chaos. They were in a long corridor. Low lighting showed more blood-splattered walls and up ahead, at the end of the corridor, strobe lighting flickered violently.

Even through closed eyes, she could see the strobe lighting flashing through her lids as she buried her face in to Peeta's back. As they rounded the corner, she could feel the muscles in his back tense as he paused and let out a low hiss of an exhalation. She risked opening her eyes a crack, and as she did, she suddenly felt all the nerves melt away.

There was no real danger here; it was all just a game, a pretence. The strobe lighting meant she was able to see the actors as they climbed along the top of the wire fences. She peered round the side of him and could see Jo and Gale a little way up ahead, Jo jumping a little as an actor approached them before she fell on to Gale, howling with laughter. "Peeta," she shouted over the incessant noise of the room's soundtrack, as she squeezed him a little, "We don't want to get left behind."

He seemed to remember to move as she spoke. He took a couple of hesitant steps forward, and as he did, Katniss noticed movement above them. A girl in a nightdress, with long lank hair and a cut running diagonally across her face, was scampering along the fences and bars above them. She paused just ahead of where they were walking, swung down and dropped to her feet, landing just inches in front of Peeta before screeching and running away. He practically jumped out of his skin. "Ah, fuck!" he exclaimed, tensing even further.

Katniss started to laugh at the ridiculous situation. "Are you ok?" she asked.

"Mmm-hmm," he responded, before shouting, "Shit!" moments later as the girl darted in front of them again.

"Are you… are you actually scared?"

"It's fine. I'm fine," he said, continuing to shuffle forwards but gripping on to Katniss' arms around his waist.

"Do you want me to go first?" she said, a grin spreading over her face.

In response he nodded briefly and manoeuvred her in front of him, pushing her forwards. Every now and then she could feel him tense up, or hear him swear. The actors in the maze seemed to pick up on his reactions and focused all their attention on him. Running her fingers over the back of his hands, she could feel how cold and clammy his skin had become as he gripped her tighter and tighter.

She was amazed at how quick the actors were, how agile and nimble, how they could appear from nowhere and vanish in a split second, but she found the whole scenario funny rather than frightening.

At long last, they rounded a corner in to what looked like the final corridor. There were no strobes here. Instead, the corridor was bathed in dark red light that very occasionally flickered off and back on again, and all she could feel were Peeta's arms shaking slightly around her. Just feet to their right they were startled by a loud sound - that of a small petrol engine starting up and being revved. It sounded like a chainsaw.

"It's ok," she heard Peeta saying behind her. "It's not real. It's not real. It's not real."

Ahead of them, a small patch of natural light showed that they were close to the exit when out of the shadows burst the final actor, wearing an open straitjacket and wielding the chainsaw high above his head. He charged towards them. "Fucking run!" shouted Peeta, pushing her forwards towards the safety of the real world. They burst through to find Jo and Gale waiting for them, breathless with nervous laughter.

"That was fucking awesome," said Jo, doubled over to get her breath back. "We're definitely doing that one again."

"No. No way. Fuck that," said Peeta, shaking his head. Katniss noticed how furiously flushed his cheeks were and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Oh, come on," said Jo, standing up straight again, "You some kind of pussy or something?"

"If it means I don't have to go back in there then yes. And proud."

"Your loss," she shrugged in response.

Ignoring her jibes Katniss stepped in front of him and ran her hand down the side of his face. "Are you ok?" she asked him gently.

"Uh-huh. That was fucked up." He pushed his hair back of his face and began to laugh nervously. "I need a drink."

"Whatever happened to '_I'll look after you'_?"

He looked a little sheepish as he spoke. "Maybe….maybe we need to make that more of a mutual arrangement?"

"So we'll look after each other from now on?"

"Perfect," he said as she melted in to his arms.

"You know I'm going to have to make you go through all the other mazes too, though?"

"Why would you be so cruel?"

"I did promise I'd get you back. And I don't want to break a promise."

His usual self-deprecating laugh caused Katniss to chuckle as well. "Fine," he answered, shaking his head with a half-smile. "Find me a beer first though. If I'm going through that again I need a little Dutch courage."

Peeta didn't fare much better going through _Hellgate _or _The Curse, _even with the addition of the confidence-bolstering alcohol coursing through him. He flat-out refused to go through _Se7en._

"Please, Katniss, no more. I can't take it," he said as they stood outside the maze's entrance, and Katniss had to admit that even in the low-light Peeta looked far paler than usual. "I just want to go and sit down somewhere with a beer and a packet of crisps and try and feel a bit more human."

"This one is supposed to be the most tame out of all of them," said Gale, and Katniss really hoped that Peeta didn't pick up on the slight smirk in his voice.

"Honestly, I don't care. I think a child in a white sheet saying 'Boo' would be enough to give me a heart attack right now."

"You two go ahead. We'll be in the bar, ok?" said Katniss, talking Peeta's clammy hand in her own. "How are you doing, soldier?" she asked him once they were alone and seated, Peeta clutching a pint of Peroni and a pack of salt and vinegar crisps.

"Better, thanks," he said, staring at a few drops of condensation that had formed on the side of his pint glass, tracing their path with his fingertips. He sighed heavily before taking a swig.

"What's wrong?" she asked, laying a hand on his forearm.

"Your friends probably think I'm a right dick."

"Who cares?" she said. "I know you're not and that's all that matters, surely?"

"Thanks for confirming it," he said with a slightly sad smile.

"I didn't mean it that way, and you know it," she countered, tucking a few loose curls behind his ear. "I just meant that you need to stop worrying about what other people think, because it doesn't matter."

"I can't help wanting to be liked, Katniss. No one wants to be disliked, do they?"

"No, but you're never going to please everyone," she replied.

"Doesn't stop me from wanting to try."

They sat together in silence for a few moments before Katniss spoke up again. "Thank you for giving Gale another chance, Peeta. I can't tell you how much it means to me. And I know you two stepped off on the wrong foot— "

"Understatement of the century."

"—And I know he inadvertently messed up first thing today— "

"Again, bit of an understatement."

"—So thank you for keeping your cool over it. Really did mean a lot to me."

"Look, Katniss, I doubt we'll ever be best friends— "

"I'm not asking you to be," she interjected.

"I know. And to be honest I don't know that I can promise I'll ever count him as a mate. We're just too different. But for you, I'll keep trying."

She cupped the side of his face, and he closed his eyes at her gentle touch. "You're a really great guy, Peeta. I don't think I've told you that enough lately."

"Even though in the event that we find ourselves in a haunted asylum full of chainsaw wielding zombies I'll need you to take the lead and save us?"

"Despite that, yes."

The corners of his mouth lifted in a genuine smile for the first time since they sat down. "Thanks, kiddo. You're not so bad yourself."

"And hey, if we find ourselves in some kind of situation where we're 200-feet in the air, strapped in a car and hurtling to the ground at eighty miles an hour, I know I'll be able to count on you."

As his smile widened she brought his face to hers for a kiss. They had promised to look after each other. And she fully intended to keep that promise.

* * *

**A/N – I thought long and hard about who was going to be most scared in the mazes. Originally it was going to be Katniss, but honestly, it makes far more sense for it to be Peeta. I'd like to just iterate – it doesn't make him a coward! I worked as an actor in scare mazes for 6 and a half years (and have worked at the ones mentioned in this story!) and it was amazing how much being in those places changed people. People who were utterly terrified before they came through might end up seeing it for what it was and just finding the whole thing a bit boring and silly, and people who were fine outside ended up getting really into it once inside. We'd often see boyfriends cowering behind their girlfriends, but one thing was very apparent; creative minds were always much more affected than logical, analytical ones. And as I said, I worked in these places for 6 and half years and I still get scared going through them, even though I know exactly what the actors are going to be doing moments before and after I've seen them, how all they'll be talking about is what they want for dinner, how bloody bored they are, how they'll be taking the piss out of whoever just screamed etc etc… They still get me every bloody time. So yeah, bearing all that in mind it really does make more sense for Peeta to have been really affected in there, far more than Katniss, Jo or Gale would have been ;)**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and don't forget to let me know what you think. I'm on tumblr too. Find me at alatarielgildaen dot tumblr dot com and come and say hello!**


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